Landscape Magazine feature

Celebrating the best of Britain…

Thank you so much to Landscape Magazine for the eight page feature in the May 2024 issue. The piece is written by Simone Stanbrook-Byrne with photographs by Clive Doyle. I had a wonderful few days explaining my practice and showing Simone and Clive my processes and space. The magazine is now available to purchase across the country and on line.

“A wonderful magazine, looking at your home and it’s inevitable interaction with your garden and nature beyond” -www.newsstand.co.uk

International Delivery

“Beautiful art and even better service. Shipped to the other side of the world seamlessly, with excellent communication the whole way along. Thank you so much Danni!” - Tim

This ‘Shoal of Sardines’ was packaged and couriered to the ‘…other side of the world’ 9,461.22 miles (15,226.36 km) and now lives in Australia. International postage is available on all pieces, feel free to contact the studio for an individual quote to your destination.

I package all works myself using foam edging, cardboard and wood. The pieces are generally crated for international deliveries so you may need a screw driver to access the piece once received. I try to use completely recycled and recyclable materials.

If you have any enquiries about international delivery please don’t hesitate to get in touch email me at: info@dannibradfordstudio.com

‘Flamingo’

The iconic pink colouring of a flamingo is actually gained from the food they consume. Crustaceans, shrimp, insects and algae being a large part of their diet, all contain carotene. It’s the natural ‘red’ pigment contained in these many plants and animals that give the flamingo feathers their tone.

Flamingos are actually born white and grey and overtime develop into variations dependent on their global distribution and food source. The famous flamingos of Florida being the iconic bright pink. But other colonies (or flamboyances) vary from red to orange.

Here’s my ‘flamingo’, reverse painted in tones of blended white, pink and red pigments and double gilded in copper and 24kt gold leaf, you can find him over on my Purchase page.

Winner ‘Wildlife Artist of the Year’

During the Global Awards process over 90,000 businesses and professionals from 36 different countries are nominated and assessed on factors such as quality of service, innovation, experience and sustainability.

And I’am thrilled to announce I have been awarded

“Wildlife Artist of Year 2023/24”

Many thanks to Corporate Live Wire and the Global Awards team.

Pair of Goldfinches

This piece has bought me so much joy to make. Not only because I love goldfinches but because of their story…

In the 19th century Goldfinches were taken to the brink of extinction as they were coveted for their beauty and widely kept as a caged bird. Literally hundreds of thousands of birds were taken from the wild in Britain.

In 1889, Emily Williamson created the Society for the Protection of Birds with one core aim – to fight to protect endangered birds. She wanted to stop the fashion for feathers, exotic plumes and the keeping of wild birds in cages. One of the first battles that the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, or RSPB, fought was against the taking of Goldfinches from the wild. It took several years but in 1933 that the government passed an act to make the sale of wild birds illegal.

The women of the RSPB bought the goldfinch back from near extinction. The British population of goldfinches has now recovered so that this delightful, beloved finch has become a familiar, common sight once again.

🔴 *EDIT - ‘Pair of Goldfinches’ SOLD*

The Cruel and Curious Sea

It was an emotional final exhibition in the Barns of the National Trust’s, Stowe Barton. I’m incredibly proud and humbled to have been a part of this event for the past ten years and I was thrilled to be able to exhibit my largest, free standing, Shoal of Sardines ‘Silver Darlings’ alongside some wonderful cephalopods.

Wildlife Artist of the Year 2023

I was so thrilled to again be a finalist in the David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year prize. An international award showcasing the work of wildlife Artists from across the globe. The awards ceremony and week long Exhibition was held in the iconic Mall Galleries in London. To be shortlisted for a second year has been an absolute honour.

“Through our collection of wildlife art, DSWF continues to honour the legacy of David Shepherd through art events, exhibitions, partnerships, and sales of outstanding original artworks and prints to support wildlife conservation efforts across Africa and Asia.

By showcasing the breathtaking talent of wildlife artists and sharing their powerful messages, we hope to inspire a deeper appreciation for wildlife and a sense of responsibility to protect and conserve our natural heritage for future generations.”

-David Shepherd Wildlife foundation

My piece ‘Migration of Monarchs’ consists of two square panels of individually reverse hand painted and copper gilded glass suspended in a deep bespoke frame. The Iconic Migratory Monarch Butterfly has been listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN red list of threatened species, meaning the species is likely to become extinct without significant intervention. The number of migratory Monarch’s has declined by 95% since the 1980’s due to climate change, habitat loss and the use of pesticides and herbicides.

🔴 *EDIT - ‘Migration of Monarchs’ is SOLD*

Craft festival - Bovey Tracey

It’s been a very busy, hot, weekend on Dartmoor in Devon. I was delighted to be invited to showcase my work at the ‘Craft festival’ in Bovey Tracey. Over 200 exceptional makers from across the UK came together for an amazing event.

The centre tent at the festival was the Heritage crafts association’s ‘Red list of endangered crafts’. Highlighted in the tent was a collection of Endangered craft forms.

Since 2017 the Heritage Crafts association have published a ‘red list’ to highlight dying crafts, and have set up an endangered crafts fund to help at-risk crafts overcome obstacles that are standing in the way of long term viability. They support and help makers in a multitude of ways, and are helping to reverse the decline of craft skills in the UK, where currently 84 crafts are listed as endangered, and 62 as critically endangered.

Verre - Eglomise , the reverse painting and gilding of glass is classed as an ‘Endangered Craft ’, meaning there are serious concerns about the ongoing viability of the craft. This may include a shrinking market, ageing demographic or a decline in practitioners. You can support and find out more over at the ‘Heritage Craft Association’s’ Website

Top Drawer - Olympia

Thank you so much to Top Drawer for selecting me to exhibit alongside some amazing brands and collectives this January at Olympia, London.

Also, what a fabulous surprise to see my work blown up to an eight foot graphic in the foyer of Olympia to promote the craft section.

Venture Magazine Feature

You can find a feature about me and my work in the latest ‘Venture’ magazine. Thanks to Editor and Writer Kate Treleaven for interviewing me and somehow turning my ramblings into a lovely article.

Venture is a Atkinson Ferrie Wealth Management magazine available throughout the south west.

A Bumble of Bees

Always rating high in my personal favorite insects is the humble but charismatic Bumble Bee, one of our most active pollinators here in the Uk. Bumble Bees are the largest, hairiest and gentlest of all the Bees. Their tiny wings beat more then 130 times per second to keep that body moving from flower to flower.

Bumble bees are very docile and love to nap inside flowers. They rarely sting people but if you do annoy one it will warn you that it’s not happy by waving it’s little leg in the air to tell you to back off!

They are pretty solitary Bees but can live in colonies of up to 500, where as the active Honey Bee lives in a hive of up to 50,000.

There’s approximately 150 Bees in my latest piece ‘Hum of White tailed Bumble Bees’ they are reverse painted and gilded in Silver and 24kt gold leaf.

The Beauty of Imperfection

Two years ago during the pandemic I collaborated (at a distance) with Craftsman Bobby Mills on a unique Kintsugi project and I recently had the opportunity to collaborate with him again, a private commission bought us together.

Bobby, using a specially made support for his lathe turned two very large and beautiful walnut vessels, these were naturally dried to a point of cracking and given to me to repair using the art form of Kintsugi or ‘golden seams/scars’. In the case of these two vessels ; resin, gold skewings and 24kt gold leaf have bound the broken pieces together, It’s a tricky technique that involves dexterity and a lot of time and patience.

Kintsugi is an art form based on a Philosophy ‘wabi-sabi’ this philosophy teaches us that all things, including us and life itself, are impermanent, incomplete, and imperfect. It’s about embracing the broken not hiding the imperfect but displaying it with pride as nothing is or can be perfect… beauty is in the imperfect.

Photos by Bobby Mills…

Photos by Bobby Mills

Jelly Fish Moon

This recent ‘Jelly fish Moon’ was a private commission, it combines both my figurative and abstract work in a single piece, it took three and a half months from concept to completion and 18 different reverse layers went into completing the effect of this large round panel, which includes, ink, paint, pearl lustres, enamel, 24kt goldleaf and silver leaf all reverse applied to the glass.

It’s always a nervous commitment embarking on a private commission and needs a good imagination to be able to visualise the finished work. Each commission I’ve worked on is very unique and individual, some people just like me to ‘take over’ but with this piece I worked closely to the clients specifications, supplying sketches, colour and texture examples and in this case a study jelly fish panel. I used reference materials supplied by the client and I also visited the space where the piece will be displayed, with a similar size and colour example.

This piece was an absolute joy to work on.

‘In a new light’

Ive spent many years learning the craft of gilding in its many applications, be it traditionally gilding as an antique restorer or working with verre-eglomise as a head artist and gilder for a commercial glass company… and it seems there’s always more to learn!

Over recent years I have focused on glass and verre-eglomise as my medium and art form, as I love its complexity and I have been able to bring my background as a fine artist and illustrator into my Art application.

With this latest collaboration, it’s been an absolute joy to be able to share some traditional gilding knowledge and teach the very skilled Edward Wild some basics in this heritage craft.

The In a new light project’ has been bought together by Jess Pearson and Edward Crumpton and I’m so excited to see how Edward Wild Furniture applies these new heritage craft techniques to his current catalogue of skills and maybe creates an exciting new narrative in his work.

For me it’s been an exploration into analysing my own skill set as a possible educator, in teaching and keeping a very special skill set alive while also helping the local creative ecology.

Thanks to Gold Leaf Supplies and A.S.Handover Ltd for our gilding supplies to create the beech wood turned, traditionally water gilded, eggs.

photos by Jess Pearson North Devon Maker Series

Cornwall Home Show

Thanks to everyone who came along to say Hello at the Cornwall home show. So lovely to meet up with old followers and make some new friends. I really hope to be back in Cornwall soon, the pieces went down really well at the exhibition with amazing feed back… Thank you!

Supersized Sardines

I was recently approached by a client who had purchased a 750mm x 950mm Shoal of Sardines a few years back, before my work had started to develop onto multiple layers of glass.

My client wanted to know if I could turn her single panel into two? And create that ‘deep’ look and I’m really happy to share with you the finished commissioned piece.

This Mega Shoal is also now, officially, the largest deep shoal of Sardines to date…

Lovebirds

Love is in the air!

The beautifully colourful lovebird, cant help but bring a smile. These wonderful birds get their name due to their nature, like lovers they are known for cuddling and feeding their mate with whom they stay for life.

Habitat loss due to climate changes has meant that some wild lovebird species are now classified as vulnerable, meaning they under threat of extinction as a wild species (and are now listed on the IUCN red list)

This beautiful multicoloured pair of lovebirds are reverse painted in blended tones from warm reds and oranges to earthen greens and entirely gilded in 24kt gold leaf.

🔴 *EDIT - ‘Pair of Lovebirds’ SOLD*

Liquidambar

My liquidambar Moon is inspired by the colourful trees of the same name at RHS Garden Rosemoor. Through the year this tree shows the most beautiful array of colours, but it’s truly in a league of its own in Autumn. I have used gathered leaves from the trees by the lake at Rosemoor to print different colour shades onto the glass, the work has then been layered in paints and copper leaf, to add a layer of depth, like leaves that have fallen on the ground.

🔴 *EDIT - ‘Liquidambar’ SOLD*

Solo Art Exhibition at RHS Garden Rosemoor

Come meet and talk to Danni at her

Solo Art Exhibition

RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington, EX38 8PH

Running Daily 10:30am - 4:00pm

11th - 21st November 2021

“Golden Garden Spider”

I’ve always had the deepest respect for all manner of living creatures. Insects and bugs have always been truly fascinating to me, but for some reason, like many people I have a rather intense and irrational, fear of spiders.
My fear of them even played an integral part of my university dissertation and graduating art show where I explored fear, the dark side of fairytales and folklore.
My most memorable and terrifying encounter with a spider was with a ‘Huntsman’ whilst travelling Australia in my early twenties. Roughly the size of an outstretched hand, she clung stealthily to the underside of a sketchbook I’d just retrieved from under the bed in our camper van whilst we camped deep out in the backcountry of Queensland. I didnt sleep well for the rest of trip!

Despite my fears, I’ve learnt to co-exist alongside them a bit more comfortably these days.
I am also awed by them… after all, they are an integral part of our delicate garden eco-systems helping to maintain harmony and balance. They eat the flys and mosquitos and the birds eat them! I am honoured to welcome them into my little garden, and as the old proverb goes…

“If you want to live and thrive, let a spider run alive”

‘Golden Garden Spider’ Measures 63cm x 63cm, gilded in 24kt Goldleaf in reverse onto glass and framed in a bespoke Ash Frame Contact the studio for more information on this piece.